Auto-initiated messaging chat

ABSTRACT

An autonomous chat bot monitors actions of users on a messaging platform and generates self-initiated chat sessions with the user to gauge users&#39; interest and intent with respect to a target subject matter and the conversations of the chat sessions. Based on the gauged interest and intent, profiles or preferences are generated for the users independent of or relevant to the target subject matter. In an embodiment, customer contact information for the users are provided by the autonomous chat bot to a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system for further engaging the customer with respect to the target subject matter or other subject matters determined to be relevant from the profiles or preferences.

BACKGROUND

Individuals and businesses utilize a variety of messaging technologiesto: socialize, communicate, and engage in business activities. Some ofthese messaging technologies include: email platforms, text platforms,instant messaging platforms, browser-based platforms, automatedvoice-based platforms, and a variety of social media platforms. Eachspecific type of messaging platform has its own set of interfaces andfeatures, some of which may be device-type specific or may work better(with more features) on a given device type. Furthermore, most messagingplatforms include their own Application Programming Interfaces (APIs)that permit automated and program-based interaction with features of themessaging platforms.

Different individuals prefer some messaging platforms over others. Thiscreates a significant challenge for a business that wishes to engagetheir customers in seamless and automated manners on the messagingplatforms that each customer prefers to use. The problem is compoundedbecause each customer may prefer a different messaging platformdepending on the device that the customer is operating at any givenpoint in time (such as a laptop versus phone, a watch versus phone,etc.).

Most businesses also have a presence on social media messaging platformsand have some customers that follow them or engage them from theirsites. Over the years popup ads have lost their initial effectivenessthat businesses once enjoyed and many modern browsers substantiallyprevent pop up ads today.

Successful sales are often the result of contacting a potential customerthat has shown an interest in a service or product of the business.However, trying to reach out to large numbers of potential customersthrough phone-based sales calls in attempts to make sales is extremelytime consuming with a low sales success rate (largely because mostcustomers contacted on the large list of leads have no real interest inthe services or products to begin with). And yet, the industry continuesto inundate the public because cold calling does produce sales albeitwith low success rates. The industry appears to have grown, resulting inmany uninterested members of the public complaining and demandingregulations and laws to substantially restrict, if not prohibit, thepractice.

Thus, businesses spend large sums of money on cold calling sales staffas well as a substantially amount of money lobbying public officials tonot restrict the practice.

SUMMARY

In various embodiments, methods and a system for auto-initiatedmessaging chats are presented.

According to an embodiment, a method for an auto-initiated messagingchat is provided. Specifically, and in one embodiment, activity of auser on a messaging platform is matched to criteria. A chat session isautomatically initiated with the user on the messaging platform withrespect to a subject matter linked to the criteria. Finally, a level ofinterest for the user in the subject matter is gauged based on at leastone response provided by the user during the chat session.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a diagram of a system for auto-initiated messaging chats,according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 1B is a diagram of a sample processing flow for the system of theFIG. 1A, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a diagram of a method for an auto-initiated messaging chat,according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram of another method for an auto-initiated messagingchat, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram of another system for auto-initiated messagingchats, according to an example embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1A is a diagram of a system 100 for auto-initiated messaging chats,according to an example embodiment. The system 100 is shownschematically in greatly simplified form, with only those componentsrelevant to understanding of one or more embodiments (representedherein) being illustrated. The various components are illustrated andthe arrangement of the components is presented for purposes ofillustration only. It is to be noted that other arrangements with moreor less components are possible without departing from theauto-initiated messaging chat techniques presented herein and below.

Moreover, various components are illustrated as one or more softwaremodules, which reside in non-transitory storage and/or hardware memoryas executable instructions that when executed by one or more hardwareprocessors perform the processing discussed herein and below.

The techniques, methods, and systems presented herein and below forauto-initiated messaging chats can be implemented in all, or somecombination of the components shown in different hardware computingdevices having one or more hardware processors.

The system 100 includes: one or more messaging clients 110, one or moremessaging platforms 120, one or more automated messaging bots 121, andone or more retail messaging sites 130.

The messaging client 110 can be processed on any processor-enableddevice, such as but not limited to: a desktop computer, a laptopcomputer, a mobile phone, a tablet, a wearable processing device (watch,goggles, etc.), a processor-enabled vehicle interface within a vehicle,an intelligent appliance (light switch, lamp, garage door opener,refrigerator, television, stereo, etc.), a server, a Virtual Reality(VR) headset, a device that is part of the Internet-of-Things (IoTs),etc.

As used herein, a “messaging platform” refers to the software,interfaces, APIs, processing devices, and network connectivity used toperform messaging communications by users. A messaging platformincludes, by way of example only, email, Short Message Service (SMS)text, instant message, voice-based applications (e.g., Amazon Echo™,Google Home™, etc.), social-media applications (e.g., Facebook™, Slack™,Twitter™, Instagram™, Snap Chat™, LinkedIn™, Skype®, Kik™, Google Allo®,Line™, a variety of match making services, etc.), VR-based applications,and the like.

As used herein, a “messaging bot” 121 of “bot” 121 refers to a softwareapplication that is designed to engage in messaging activities in anautomated manner as an active or passive participant within a specificmessaging platform 121 for a specific conversation or within multipledisparate messaging platforms 121 for a specific conversation or a setof types of conversations. A messaging bot 121 is a logical participantin a given chat session (messaging session or dialogue) or conversationfor any given messaging platform. Moreover, a messaging bot 121 isconfigured to perform a variety of pre-configured automated actionswithin messaging platforms and/or outside the messaging platforms.

A “conversation” is a specific type of chat session that a bot 121 hasengaged in to perform some service based on a derived “intention” of theconversation. Therefore, the conversation includes a subject matter thatthe bot 121 is able to decipher from interaction with a user in the chatsession, with the subject matter leading to a perceived intention of theuser during the chat session. The intention leading to additionalactions that may be taken by the bot 121 outside or out-of-band with thechat session in a given messaging platform 120.

The conversation and intention can be determined through existingnatural language processing techniques and can include speech of theuser in the chat session, video images of gestures taken by the userduring a chat session, VR actions taken or implied by the user during aVR session, and/or text (or various combinations of speech, gestures,actions, and written text).

Conversations are auto-initiated in an autonomous manner by the bot 121.Typically, bots do not autonomously initiate chat session over messagingplatforms with users; thus, the manners in which the bots 121 determineto autonomously initiate chat session with users on messaging platforms120 and the subsequent actions taken by the bots 121 within themessaging platforms 120 or out-of-band to the messaging platforms 120are unique to various embodiments of the invention presented herein.

In an embodiment, the messaging client 110 (is also referred to as a“messaging application (app)” 110) includes no software changes ormodifications for interaction with the bot 121 to be operational andperform the processing discussed herein and below. That is, from theperspective of the messaging platform 120 and the messaging app 110, themessaging bot 121 (also referred to as “messaging bot 121 or bot 121,herein) is a real user or participant (albeit the bot 121 is a logicalparticipant) that processes an existing API of the messaging platform120 to appear as a participant.

In an embodiment, it is to be noted that the bot 121 need not processingon a same device as the corresponding messaging app 110. So, a bot 121can engage a user through the user's messaging app 110 on the user'soperated device by being engaged for a chat session at the direction ofthe user or auto-engaged (initiated) based on the autonomous decision ofthe bot 121. The bot 121 may include a valid unique-user identifier andaccount for the messaging platform 120 that the bot 121 is activewithin. The actual device that executes the bot 121 can be a server orcloud (set of logically cooperating servers).

In some embodiments, the bot 121 may process within the local processingcontexts and on the devices that process the corresponding messagingapps 110.

One benefit by retaining the bot 121 in a cloud processing environmentis that any updates and enhancements to the bot 121 can be achievedwithout updates to the devices having the messaging app 110.Furthermore, a single base version of the bot 121 can exist in the cloudand support multiple disparate users through use of user-customizationprofiles that include user-specific configurations of the bots 121. Inthis manner, when a specific user identifies or indirectly causes thebot 121 to engage from the user's messaging app 110, a cloud service cancause the base bot to be initiated and apply the that user's specificpreferences/configurations to create a running instance of the bot 121that is specific and customized to the user (based on the user'sidentifier for the messaging platform 120).

In an embodiment, the bot 121 is configured to process automatedconversations of a particular conversation type or subset ofconversation types. In an embodiment, the bot 121 is configured toprocess over a specific messaging platform 120 or processes over a setof disparate messaging platforms 120. In an embodiment, the bot 121 isconfigured to process a specific conversation type over a specificmessaging platform 120.

The bot 121 auto-initiates or autonomously derives the conversation typeand specific details of the conversation with a user and without anyprior direct interaction with a user. The bot includes API interfaces toreceive data metrics in real time with respect to a site of a givenmessaging platform 120.

That is, a particular enterprise or business includes a messagingplatform account with a particular messaging platform 120. The accountincludes a website (site), page, or web address 130 with which theenterprise or business maintains a presence for the messaging platform.APIs of the messaging platform 120 provided metrics in real time to theenterprise account. The enterprise account may also maintain within themessaging platform 120 or external to the messaging platform a historyof these metrics. The metrics can include a messaging account identifierfor a visitor (user) to the site 130, date and time of access, resourceaccessed (file, application, link of the website), length of stay on thesite or length of access on a resource, and other messagingplatform-available metrics. The bot 121 includes access to these metricsand can register for real-time notification when metrics are generatedfrom the site 130 through activity of a user on the site 130. Thisallows the bot 121 to monitor the site 130 of the enterprise within themessaging platform.

FIG. 1B is a diagram of a sample processing flow for the system 100 ofthe FIG. 1A, according to an example embodiment.

The bot 121 is also configured with an API for interaction with aCustomer-Relationship Management (CRM) service 140 maintained by theenterprise or maintained by a contracted third-party service on behalfof the enterprise. As customers visit the site 130 of the enterprisewithin the messaging platform the customer operated devices 110 (thatinclude the messaging clients 110), the bot 121 receives real-timemetrics through the messaging platform's API and is activated toevaluate the activity of the users operating the customer devices 110.(As used herein the terms: “user,” consumer,” and “customer” may be usedinterchangeably and synonymously.)

The bot 121 receives a configuration for recognizing activity of theuser on the site 130 as a particular interest being exhibited by theuser, such as an interest in a product or service of the enterprise. Forexample, an NBA enterprise site 130 may include scores of a particularNBA team, such that the bot 121 active on the site 130 is configured tosave a user messaging platform identifier for a user that visits thesite 130 and clicks on a link for the score of a game with a predefinedregularity or frequency. When the frequency for a given user is noted,the bot 121 engage the user to save a push notification for the NBA'steam score.

The bot 121 may also be configured to evaluate the site metrics usingArtificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms to identify patterns of activityon the site 130 that determine a specific conversation type, which thebot 121 autonomously generating a specific conversation type in a chatsession with the user.

That is, the CRM service or an API algorithm can be used to configure anAPI of the bot 121 to recognize patterns and auto-engage a user in abot-initiated chat session through the messaging platform 120.

If the intention of the user during that bot-initiated chat session isfavorable (based on selections, responses, or actions of the user), thenthe bot 121 provides a bot-generated profile with contact information tothe CRM service 140 through the bot's API with the CRM service 140.

The CRM Service 140 then pushes preferences or profiles generated by thebot 121 for the user to sales people operating sales devices 150, whichmatch the preferences or profiles to consumer types (segments) deemed tobe receptive to a particular good or service of the enterprise. Thesales person may then call the consumer/user (if a phone number isavailable) to pitch the good or service or engage the user in a separatechat session through the messaging platform 120.

This allows the enterprise to produce a highly efficient contact listfor potential users that are likely to be receptive to the goods andservices of the enterprise. This is known as warm sales leads, which islikely to have higher sales rates than the traditional annoying andinefficient cold calls made in the industry. This is all achieved in byautonomous and automated processing performed by the bot 121 and the CRMservice 140.

As another example, in the FIG. 1B, the bot 121 receives real-timemetrics from the API of the messaging platform and/or mines a history ofthe metrics for customers that liked a particular page (resource of thesite 130) X posted on the enterprise site 130, which in accordance witha configuration from the CRM service 140 or an AI algorithm indicates tothe bot 121 that such customers might be interest in product or serviceY.

At 1, the bot 121 takes the list of identified customers mined from thehistory or real-time metrics being presented on the site 130 anditerates the list of potential customers for generating auto-initiatedchat sessions with each of the potential customers. The bot 121 providesthe initial message as a text or instant message sent through themessaging platform to each customer's messaging platform identifier.

At 2, the bot 121 starts the unsolicited chat session with each customerby stating: “Hi, I saw you like X page. Have you heard about product orservice Y?”

Assuming an intention of the customers are favorably inclined based onresponses or non-responses of the customers during the auto-initiatedchat sessions, the bot 121 post through the API of the CRM service 140 anew potential customer contact including customer contact informationand preferences derived, such as X and Y, at 3.

At 4, the CRM service 140 sends the contact information of the potentialcustomers to a sales person operating sales device 150. The salesperson, at 5, then operates sales device 150 to engage the customer overthe messaging platform 120 or through a different channel (voice callassuming a phone number is available, text message, instant message,etc.).

The traditional cold calling technique is enhanced and delegated to thebot 121 to provide a warm sales lead. The bot 121 engages inauto-initiated chat sessions (conversations) with potential customersonline through the messaging platform and only when such customers matcha profile or criteria (such as linking, subscribing, liking, downloadinga specific web page, and other criteria configured in the bot 121). Thebot 121 also autonomously gauges the potential customers interest levelfrom the intent of the customer provided during the conversations. Thebot 121 can then store the intention gleaned from the customer aspreferences of the customer and provide the customer contact informationand preferences to the CRM service 130. The CRM service 130 can thenpush the customer contact information and preferences to salesrepresentatives.

This allows businesses or enterprises to automate a substantial portionof their sales process and the sales personnel can spend less timefocusing on generating sales leads and traditional cold callingapproaches and more time on selling goods and services of the enterprisedirectly with warm (interested) contacts (the potential customers).

These and other embodiments are now presented with reference to theFIGS. 2-4.

FIG. 2 is a diagram of a method 200 for an auto-initiated messagingchat, according to an example embodiment. The software module(s) thatimplements the method 200 is referred to as an “autonomous chat bot.”The autonomous chat bot is implemented as executable instructionsprogrammed and residing within memory and/or a non-transitorycomputer-readable (processor-readable) storage medium and executed byone or more hardware processors of a hardware computing device. Theprocessors of the device that executes the autonomous chat bot arespecifically configured and programmed to process the autonomous chatbot. The autonomous chat bot has access to one or more networks duringits processing. The networks can be wired, wireless, or a combination ofwired and wireless.

In an embodiment, the device that executes the autonomous chat bot is adevice or set of devices that process in a cloud processing environment.

In an embodiment, the device that executes the autonomous chat bot is aserver.

In an embodiment, the autonomous chat bot the bot 121.

At 210, the autonomous chat bot matches activity of a user on amessaging platform to criteria. The messaging platform can be any of theabove-mentioned messaging platforms of the FIGS. 1A-1B. The activity isdynamically reported by an API of the messaging platform for a site thatthe user is browsing or visiting within the messaging platform. In anembodiment, the messaging platform is the messaging platform 120; thesite is the site 130; the user operates messaging client 110, and theautonomous chat bot is the bot 121.

According to an embodiment, at 211, the autonomous chat bot receives thecriteria from a CRM service. In an embodiment, this is achieved throughan API that the autonomous chat bot processes to communicate with theCRM service. In an embodiment, the CRM service is the CRM service 140.In an embodiment, the CRM service is out-of-band to the messagingplatform where the autonomous chat bot operates and the user performsactions.

In an embodiment, at 212, the autonomous chat bot receives the criteriafrom an AI service. Again, an AI API configured in the autonomous chatbot permits the autonomous chat bot to receive the criteria formatching.

In an embodiment, the activity of the user within the site of themessaging platform is accesses made or selections pressed within auser-facing interface of the site. For example, the activity can includeaccessing a page of the site, downloading a file from the site,registering to receive push notifications, following an enterpriseassociated with the site, accessing an interactive game placed on thesite, registering to receive a service of the enterprise, liking ordisliking a page or post of the site, posting to the site, and the like.

Accordingly, in an embodiment, at 213, the autonomous chat bot monitorsthe activities as accesses made by the user to resources of themessaging platform site. The resources can be operations, files, pages,and the like available from the site.

In an embodiment of 213 and at 214, the autonomous chat bot mines atleast a portion of the activities from a history of metrics maintainedby the site. The metrics can include any of the metrics available by themessaging platform to the site through a messaging platform API. Someexample metrics may include, the user's identifier for the messagingplatform, resources identifiers for resources accessed, length of timespent by the user on the site or with a particular resource, date andtime of access to the site or a particular resource, selectable optionidentifiers for options that the user selects while interacting with aservice available on the site, and the like.

In an embodiment, at 215, the autonomous chat bot obtains the activitiesin real time from an API of the site (available through the messagingplatform). That is, the autonomous chat bot registers with the API ofthe messaging platform to receive dynamic real-time push notificationswhen the activities occur on the site.

In an embodiment, the criteria is a single or a set of selective metricidentifiers for the user's activities. In an embodiment, each metricidentifier that identifies an activity of the user is scored and when ascore for the user reaches a threshold, the activity is deemed to havematched the criteria. In an embodiment, the criteria can includenon-activity related conditions that are available through a publishedprofile of the user through the messaging platform, such as gender ofthe user, age of the user, city and/or state of residence, specificallynoted likes and dislikes of the user noted in the user's messagingprofile, and the like.

At 220, the autonomous chat bot initiates a chat session with the useron the messaging platform with respect to a subject matter that islinked to the criteria. In an embodiment, the subject matter is a goodor service of an enterprise. In an embodiment, the subject matter is adiscussion topic designed to learn more about the likes and dislikes ofthe user. The autonomous chat bot autonomously decides to initiate thechat session in a manner that is unsolicited by the user.

According to an embodiment, at 221, the autonomous chat bot initiatesthe chat session with the messaging platform as one or more of: a textmessaging session, a voice dialogue session, an instant messagingplatform, and a VR session.

At 230, the autonomous chat bot gauges a level of interest for the userin the subject matter based on at least one response provided by theuser during the chat session.

That is, the chat session is a natural language dialogue between theautonomous chat bot and the user within the messaging platform using themessaging platform's messaging interface. In response to questions posedin the initial chat session by the autonomous chat bot, the userresponds in natural language or may take a different action within themessaging platform site (such as updating a profile of the user,registering for a service, etc.). The responses of the user aretranslated into a normalized format from the user's natural languageresponse as a construct; predefined known values for the construct arethen compared against a value for the user's translated construct.Optionally, the construct values representing the user's response can beweighted and scored. The scored value is then mapped to a level ofinterest along a predefined scale. This is one mechanism for gauging thelevel of interest for the user in the subject matter of the chat sessionthat was initiated by the autonomous chat bot.

According to an embodiment, at 231, the autonomous chat bot gauges thelevel of interest based on the response that activates a resource withinthe messaging platform based on a suggestion to activate the resourceprovided in the chat session to the user by the autonomous chat botduring the natural language conversation between the autonomous chat botand the user. So, the user's response may not be directly providedwithin the chat session but may occur based on user's actions on thesite.

In an embodiment, at 240, the autonomous chat bot maintains a profile ofthe user with respect to the activity and the level of interest.

In an embodiment of 240 and at 241, the autonomous chat bot sendscontact information for the user on the messaging platform, the level ofinterest, and the profile to a CRM service. In an embodiment, the CRMservice is the CRM service 140.

In an embodiment of 241 and at 242, the autonomous chat bot generates anew level of interest for the user based on a subsequent auto initiatedchat session with the user on the messaging platform and based onsubsequent responses of the user in that subsequent auto initiated chatsession and the profile.

In an embodiment of 242 and at 243, the autonomous chat bot updates theprofile based on the new level of interest and the subsequent responses.

FIG. 3 is a diagram of a method 2300 for an auto-initiated messagingchat, according to an example embodiment. The software module(s) thatimplements the method 300 is referred to as a “messagingcontact-generating bot.” The messaging contact-generating bot isimplemented as executable instructions programmed and residing withinmemory and/or a non-transitory computer-readable (processor-readable)storage medium and executed by one or more hardware processors of ahardware computing device. The processors of the device that executesthe messaging contact-generating bot are specifically configured andprogrammed to process the messaging contact-generating bot. Themessaging contact-generating bot has access to one or more networksduring its processing. The networks can be wired, wireless, or acombination of wired and wireless.

In an embodiment, the device that executes the messagingcontact-generating bot is a device or set of devices that process in acloud processing environment.

In an embodiment, the device that executes the messagingcontact-generating bot is a server.

In an embodiment, the messaging contact-generating bot the bot 121.

The messaging contact-generating bot presents another and in some waysenhanced perspective of the method 200.

At 310, the messaging contact-generating bot monitors real-time actionsof a user on a site of a messaging platform. The messaging platform canbe any of the messaging platforms 120 discussed above with the FIGS.1A-1B. In an embodiment, the site is the site 130. In an embodiment, thesite is a site maintained by a business or enterprise with the messagingplatform.

According to an embodiment, at 311, the messaging contact-generating botdetects the actions through an API of the site for the messagingplatform. The API dynamically publishes the actions as real-timenotifications to the messaging contact-generating bot.

At 320, the messaging contact-generating bot identifies when at leastone of the real-time actions or a history of actions for the user on thesite match a predefined pattern for a predefined subject matter.

At 330, the messaging contact-generating bot automatically andautonomously initiates a chat session with the user within the messagingplatform directed to the subject matter.

In an embodiment, at 331, the messaging contact-generating bot providesa message communicated to the user through the messaging platform andits interfaces in a natural language. The message is one of: voicebased, VR based, and written language based.

At 340, the messaging contact-generating bot maintains a preference forthe user to the subject matter based on a derived intention of the userconveyed through natural language responses of the user during the chatsession.

According to an embodiment, at 341, the messaging contact-generating botinterprets the natural language responses into constructs that whenscored map to the derived intention of the user with respect to thesubject matter.

At 350, the messaging contact-generating bot forwards contactinformation for the user on the messaging platform and the preference toa CRM service. The preference indicates a likely interest in the subjectmatter. In an embodiment, the CRM service is the CRM service 140.

According to an embodiment, at 351, the messaging contact-generating botprovides the CRM service with a profile maintained for the user withrespect to the user's real-time actions and the user's maintainedhistory of actions with the site.

FIG. 4 is a diagram of another system 400 for auto-initiated messagingchats, according to an example embodiment. The system 400 includes avariety of hardware components and software components. The softwarecomponents of the system 400 are programmed and reside within memoryand/or a non-transitory computer-readable medium and execute on one ormore hardware processors of a hardware device. The system 400communicates one or more networks, which can be wired, wireless, or acombination of wired and wireless.

In an embodiment, the system 400 implements all or some combination ofthe processing discussed above with the FIGS. 1A-1B and 2-3.

In an embodiment, the system 400 implements, inter alia, the method 200of the FIG. 2.

In an embodiment, the system 400 implements, inter alia, the method 300of the FIG. 3.

The system 400 includes a server 401 and the server including anautonomous chat bot 402.

The autonomous chat bot 402 is configured to: 1) execute on at least onehardware processor of the server 401; 2) automatically initiate amessaging chat session with a user based on access of the user to aresources on a site of a messaging platform; and 3) determine apreference of the user with respect to a subject matter of the messagingchat session. In an embodiment, the subject matter is a good or servicethat is offered for sale by an enterprise associated with the site.

In an embodiment, the autonomous chat bot 402 is further configured to:4) communicate the preference for the subject matter in real time to aCRM service. In an embodiment, the CRM service is the CRM service 140.

In an embodiment, the autonomous chat bot 402 is further configured, in2), to engage the user in natural language communications during themessaging chat session.

In an embodiment, the autonomous chat bot 402 is all or some combinationof: the bot 121, the method 200, and the method 300.

In an embodiment, the messaging platform is any of the messagingplatforms referenced above with the FIGS. 1A-1B.

It should be appreciated that where software is described in aparticular form (such as a component or module) this is merely to aidunderstanding and is not intended to limit how software that implementsthose functions may be architected or structured. For example, modulesare illustrated as separate modules, but may be implemented ashomogenous code, as individual components, some, but not all of thesemodules may be combined, or the functions may be implemented in softwarestructured in any other convenient manner.

Furthermore, although the software modules are illustrated as executingon one piece of hardware, the software may be distributed over multipleprocessors or in any other convenient manner.

The above description is illustrative, and not restrictive. Many otherembodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewingthe above description. The scope of embodiments should therefore bedetermined with reference to the appended claims, along with the fullscope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.

In the foregoing description of the embodiments, various features aregrouped together in a single embodiment for the purpose of streamliningthe disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted asreflecting that the claimed embodiments have more features than areexpressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claimsreflect, inventive subject matter lies in less than all features of asingle disclosed embodiment. Thus the following claims are herebyincorporated into the Description of the Embodiments, with each claimstanding on its own as a separate exemplary embodiment.

1. A method, comprising: matching activity of a user on a messagingplatform to criteria; initiating a chat session with the user on themessaging platform with respect to a subject matter linked to thecriteria; and gauging a level of interest for the user in the subjectmatter based on at least one response provided by the user during thechat session.
 2. The method of claim 1 further comprising, maintaining aprofile of the user with respect to the activity and the level ofinterest.
 3. The method of claim 2 further comprising, sending contactinformation for the user on the messaging platform, the level ofinterest, and the profile to a Customer-Relationship Management (CRM)service.
 4. The method of claim 2 further comprising, generating a newlevel of interest for the user based on a subsequent auto initiated chatsession with the user on the messaging platform and based on subsequentresponses of the user in that subsequent auto initiated chat session andthe profile.
 5. The method of claim 4 further comprising, updating theprofile based on the new level of interest and the subsequent responses.6. The method of claim 1, wherein matching further includes receivingthe criteria from a Customer-Relationship Management (CRM) service. 7.The method of claim 1, wherein matching further includes receiving thecriteria from an Artificial Intelligence (AI) service.
 8. The method ofclaim 1, wherein matching further includes monitoring the activities asaccesses made by the user to resources of a messaging platform site. 9.The method of claim 8, wherein monitoring further includes mining atleast a portion of the activities from a history of metrics maintainedby the site.
 10. The method of claim 1, wherein matching furtherincludes obtaining the activities in real time from an API of the siteas the user performs the activities on the site.
 11. The method of claim1, wherein initiating further includes initiating the chat sessionwithin the messaging platform as one or more of: a text messagingsession, a voice dialogue session, an instant messaging session, and aVirtual Reality (VR) session.
 12. The method of claim 1, wherein gaugingfurther includes gauging the level of interest based on the at least oneresponse that activates a resource within the messaging platform basedon a suggestion to activate the resource provided in the chat session tothe user. 13-20. (canceled)